Monday, December 01, 2014

Coasters for model railways

Duncan asks: I intend to build a wharf (Medway based) with either a small part of a copper cable works OO9 served and a cement/lime dock OO served. I would like come guidance on building/kit building/kit bashing a suitable coaster. I do not want to lay out a king's ransom for the tiddley Langley models puffer!

PufferBack
Langley Puffer
 
This is a difficult one as model boats in this scale aren't that common. Have a look here:

http://www.modelslipway.com/complete1.shtml

and here:

http://www.deansmarine.co.uk/shop/index.php/cPath/10_11

Deans Marine Puffer bow
Deans Marine Puffer

Both do Puffers cheaper than Langley BUT you have to do a lot more modelling. The Langley kit falls together and is highly detailed which is why it costs more.

After this, you are looking at foreign kits which aren't a bad option as boats vary so much in size.

Scratchbuilding is an option as plans are available:

http://www.myhobbystore.co.uk/group/2571/plans

You can carve hulls from balsa wood or build up former and plank the outside. Either is a lot of work but worth it for the effect. I'd suggest buying a couple of copies of Model Boats magazine if you fancy this as you'll soon get the idea. I'd also recommend a copy of this: http://philsworkbench.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/book-review-tiffys-workshop-marine.html as it's a fantastic one-stop guide.

Deans Marine Puffer stern
The Deans Puffer is fitted with radio control for sailing on calm water.

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3 comments:

  1. James Finister11:00 AM

    "Medway based" really precludes the puffer as an option. That evolutionary niche would have been filled by the Thames barge pre war. Postwar the Scalescenes coaster kit would be suitable and is dirt cheap as well http://scalescenes.com/products/T030-Cargo-Ship

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  2. Graham Minshull12:13 PM

    hi phil maybe take a look at this puffer on http://clevermodels.squarespace.com/models-gallery/

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  3. Phil Parker11:02 AM

    Good point. In my defence, all the links point at places you can buy non-Puffers too. I just happened to have a few pics of Puffers to illustraite the post.

    The Scalescenes boat might be the best choice for the questioner though. I'ts an economic and good-looking model. Even if you then decided to scratch build, it's as cheap as a plan and provides loads of detail. I'll admit I had forgottne about it even though John sent me a kit some time ago, which I must get around too...

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